Bystander
by Fireflies on a Lake
Summary: Female!Obi-wan/Anakin. There is more than one side to any story. Anakin and Obi-wan's relationship through the eyes of others. A one-shot collection.
1. Hondo Ohnaka

**Disclaimer:** Star wars and Star Wars: Clone Wars belongs to Disney and George Lucas. I make no profit from this.

 **Notes: i recently got an image in my head of Hondo calling a female!Obi-wan "Miss Kenobi" and the next thing you know this little scenario came about.** **  
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 **this is set during the clone wars episode "Dooku Captured", but does not need to have been watched to read this one-shot.**

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 **Bystander**

Hondo Ohnaka was admittedly a little drunk when he first met Obi-wan Kenobi. But even half under the table he could appreciate beauty when he saw it.

And Miss Kenobi was a fine-looking specimen indeed. If one didn't mind Kenobi's shadow.

Said shadow hovered around the woman, not letting her deviate from his line of sight. Hondo didn't see the point, Miss Kenobi was Jedi, and no doubtlessly could handle things herself. No one was stupid enough to underestimate a Jedi, not even one as seemingly delicate looking as Kenobi.

Hondo watched as Kenobi made her way to the high table, where he and the higher ranking members of his gang were following their men's lead, and proceeding to become as inebriated as possible. By this point most of his colleagues were already halfway in their cups, or passed out underneath the table.

One of his associates stood upon the table's surface, tipsily flaying his arms about and bawling some loud drinking song, one a little too ribald for the ears of a lady. His intoxicated audience clapped along, out of sync with the performer, but one had to admire their enthusiasm.

Kenobi was the perfect depiction of an emotionless Jedi; her serene expression concealed any thoughts she had regarding the decor of his establishment and its lively inhabitants. Her companion was another matter entirely. Skywalker made no effort to mask his distasteful expression as he eyed Hondo's merry band of pirates suspiciously. When Skywalker wasn't scowling at the drunken pirates, his gaze was drawn to Kenobi like an akka moth to a flame.

That boy sure had it bad.

Hondo couldn't hold it against Skywalker, the woman was certainly easy on the eyes. Not his usual type (he preferred near-human women), but he couldn't deny that Kenobi had class. She wasn't a striking beauty like his on-and-off again 'girl-friend', the bounty hunter Aurra Sing (neither of them believed in commitment as both considered themselves career focused), but there was something that made him look twice.

She was petite by human standards, with rather fine facial features, neatly trimmed auburn hair cut to the collar-bone and blue-grey eyes. Immaculate, and refined. Much too dull for his taste. But when he looked a second time Hondo noticed other things, like the way in which the Jedi Master comported herself proudly, chin raised high, and how well endowed she was in certain places, even if the Jedi robes that she wore were designed to be unflattering.

As if sensing his baser thoughts, Skywalker tore his eyes away from his crew-all in varying stages of intoxication- and glared hard at Hondo. He wasn't sure if it was the vague lighting, but he could have sworn Skywalker's eyes had darkened. The pirate captain would have been scared senseless, had he not already been bolstered by false bravado as a result of all the liquor he had consumed this evening. Instead Hondo lifted his glass in a mock salute and Skywalker's terrifying frown deepened. He wondered if the Jedi had actually read his mind. There was really no telling what to expect with Jedi, strange and intrinsic as they were.

Skywalker, not taking his eyes of Hondo, placed a firm hand on Kenobi's shoulder and leaned down to whisper something in her ear. The woman angled her head towards him, and her lips twitched, as if she were trying to contain her amusement. Kenobi looked to the head table, and caught Hondo's eye.

The pirate decided that this was a good a time as any for introductions.

"Masters Jedi welcome to my humble abode. You are just in time for the celebrations," he announced, sweeping both hands up in a dramatic gesture, the green hued liquid in his cup swishing over the brim as he sauntered towards them.

"It is kind of you to offer, but I'm afraid that we are only here to confirm that you have Count Dooku in captivity," Kenobi said diplomatically, her tone formal and polite.

Hondo clucked. "Ah Miss Kenobi, your reputation precedes you, straight down to business, no time for pleasure. You Jedi need to learn to loosen up, to live a little!"

Miss Kenobi's face remained indifferent, although her eyes glinted with humour.

"Your advice is duly noted. Might I request that we see the Count?" she inquired, getting straight to the point.

Hondo stumbled closer to the slight Jedi Master, and Skywalker visibly stiffened. The pirate held out his glass to Kenobi.

"Just one little drink," he drawled.

Before Kenobi could reply, a large gloved hand clamped down on the Weequay's knarled wrist. Hondo turned his head to regard Skywalker, who glared at him fiercely. A storm raged in those blue irises, anger, and _jealousy_ , if Hondo ever saw it.

How unbecoming for a Jedi.

"We are here for the Count," Skywalker stated firmly, his gaze never wavering from Hondo.

The click of weaponry could be heard as his remaining conscious pirates fumbled for their blasters.

Kenobi intervened before the situation could turn ugly.

"Anakin," she warned her fellow Jedi. There was no denying the light reprimand in her voice.

Skywalker squeezed Hondo's wrist in a painful durasteel grip, before roughly letting go.

Hondo ignored the throbbing of his wrist. By his sweet mother, was that a mechanical hand?

"Bah! You Jedi are no fun," Hondo declared, and sauntered away from the two Jedi.

While putting on his theatrical display of affront, the gears in the pirate's mind were turning. He had learnt something _very_ interesting.

Skywalker was emotionally invested in Miss Kenobi. He stored the knowledge away for later; it might come in handy when it came to _negotiating_ terms for hostages.

Now he was curious to know if Kenobi returned the sentiment.

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 **i hope i stayed true to hondo's personality as possible, his flamboyant character** **is** **just so awesome.  
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 **I've been writing from female!Obi-wan's perspective for a while. i wanted to get into the heads of other star wars characters, and challenge myself but i wanted to keep it a female!Obi-wan/Anakin as i am very fond of that pairing. i intend for this to be a bunch of one-shots in varying lengths.**


	2. Palpatine

**Disclaimer:** Star wars belongs to Disney and George Lucas. I make no profit from this.

 **this is a short drabble-esque piece set during an AU ROTS timeline with palpatine ruminating on Female!Obi-wan/Anakin's relationship. this is the shortest i will ever post-i just wanted to get inside the head of a villain**

 **I took it down due to the short length (its so hard to get into evil palpys head), but have decided to upload it once more. It will not be taken down again.**

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 _"Leave her Anakin, we have no time," he had urged the foolish young Jedi._

 _"Her fate will be ours," Skywalker had refused vehemently, before taking his fallen master into his arms and depositing her over his back as gently as a Nexu mother would do her cub._

 _In that moment, his carefully conceived mask had almost slipped to reveal the true Sith Lord underneath. It had taken everything within Palpatine to contain his fury at the sheer defiance of the boy. For once in his long life Palpatine had been proven wrong._

He had miscalculated.

Obi-wan Kenobi was a most unfortunate complication. Once unaccounted for, and yet now she served as the first and foremost threat to all his carefully laid plans.

That unduly pest of a woman had proven to be shrewder than he had anticipated.

For every measured word, every meticulously spun lie he used to ensnare Skywalker, that _woman_ , still held a greater sway of influence over the young Jedi than he did.

From his vast spy network and his observations derived from his own personal interactions with the boy Palpatine had garnered that Skywalker, for all his resentment of the Council, remained fiercely loyal to his former Master. That knowledge infuriated him to no end.

As the boy grew more powerful with each passing day, he slipped further and further into the never-ending shroud of the Dark Side.

The boy's powerful Force aura, had become a tapestry of entangled shadows and anguish. A decade of unfulfilled promises, of bitterness, and the harsh reality of war had led to such a development. Palpatine himself had deliberately encouraged, and nourished those very changes within the boy, both by orchestrating events over the stretch of the war, and portraying himself as an understanding, kindly figure whom Skywalker felt that he could confide in.

But for all the fastidious efforts on his part, the boy stubbornly held himself back, keeping an ever-weakening seal on his baser emotions, on his rage. Skywalker dedicated so much energy into hiding the monster that lurked so close to the surface, clinging pathetically to the Light and Jedi dogma. A complete and utter waste of untapped potential.

All because he could not bear to lose his precious former Master. Discreetly observing the pair, positioned to the back of his entourage, away from the rabble of the bureaucracy and greedy politicians he marvelled at how he could have possibly missed such an obvious fact.

Skywalker was infatuated with the woman, it was so _pain-stakingly obvious_ in the way he regarded her, as if she were the only person in the entire crowd. The deplorable way in which he seemed to gravitate towards her, like a world orbiting the sun.

He was able to glimpse Kenobi indulge Skywalker with a fond smile, before his line of vision was invaded by the unwelcome silhouette of Master Windu. This would not do, Kenobi would have to be dealt with as a soon as possible.

In the remotest and darkest corner of his mind the Dark Lord of the Sith was seething at this latest development.

Kenobi was dangerous, and she would have to be eliminated lest all his plans never come to delightful fruition.

"Are alright Chancellor?" Master Windu inquired, a formality on his part. The Jedi's features were impassive, offering no indication of what he felt but a subtle shift in the Force informed Palpatine of a deep sense of mistrust.

"Why, yes all thanks to your two Jedi Knights," he replied mildly. His face was a carefully comported veneer of relief. Let the masquerade continue. Appearances must be maintained after all.

For now.


	3. Asajj Ventress

**Disclaimer:** Star wars belongs to Disney and George Lucas. I make no profit from this.

 **A/N: I think female!Obi-wan and Anakin would make an awesome battle couple! This was essentially another attempt on my part to write a short battle scene.**

 **this is an AU set during the Clone Wars timeline. to answer a reviewers question, all Bystander one-shots are set in the 'calamity' verse as I have dubbed this :)**

 **A big overwhelming thanks to anyone who has reviewed, read, favourited and followed. You guys do inspire me to keep writing!**

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Hidden in the shadows, cowl of her robe drawn, Ventress was a wraith of barely repressed fury and anticipation as she waited for her quarry to arrive.

If the intel provided by her agent was correct, and all went according to plan, then Kenobi and Skywalker would be walking right into her trap.

She could feel them nearing her location, two overtly bright Force signatures, burning like flares in her highly attuned senses. Foolish Jedi, too arrogant to shield their own presence in the Force. Her lips curled upwards into a mockery of a smile.

Foolish Jedi, and soon to be _dead_ Jedi.

Ventress was careful to conceal her own presence in the Force. Reaching out into the dark side of the Force, the assassin imagined herself merging with the shadows, unseen and unheard. The Sith adept was nothing more than a spectre, and would remain so until at which time she chose to reveal herself.

She did not have to wait long. The chime of the turbolift signalled the Jedi's arrival, and from her position behind a column, Ventress observed her adversaries as they emerged from the sealed interior of the turbolift and into the separatist headquarters.

Kenobi entered the room first, followed closely by that hulking brute Skywalker. She almost sneered. Where there was one clown, there was always another.

Ventress could only imagine her Master's satisfaction when she presented the soon-to-be deceased Jedi's lightsabers as trophies to him. Disposing of these Jedi would more than prove to her worth to her Master. He would be most pleased.

As the Jedi crossed the expanse of the foyer, the Sith apprentice touched the dual lightsabers that hung from her utility belt, and a dark pleasure welled in her being. They were in her territory now. She was the hunter, and they were her unwitting prey.

"So this is the Separatist headquarters huh? Not much to look at is it?" Skywalker remarked as he scanned the seemingly unoccupied auditorium.

Kenobi held another opinion. "Anakin be wary, you know as well as I do that this is a trap," the Jedi Master cautioned. The woman's gaze remained fixed on her surroundings, and Ventress could sense Kenobi reaching out to the Force in an attempt to detect any possible threat. Kenobi frowned suddenly, and cast her head in the Sith adept's general direction.

"Obi-wan what is it?" Skywalker asked, concerned.

Ventress stiffened, and drew deeper on the Dark side of the Force, commanding it to veil her Force aura. Had Kenobi sensed her presence? No, that was impossible, Ventress was too skilled, her technique flawless. She had deceived countless Jedi before, there was no way that Kenobi could have known she was there, even if she was a Jedi Master.

Kenobi's attention lingered briefly on the huge column behind which Ventress was situated, before she turned to Skywalker.

"I sense danger lurking somewhere nearby," Obi-wan said elusively.

Ventress was hardly impressed. Jedi, regardless of their rank were all the same. Always stating the obvious. Blind to everything, except what was directly before them.

Skywalker's features contorted into an expression halfway between amusement and reproval.

"We've already established that this is a trap, so of course we are going to sense danger nearby," Skywalker said, his tone faintly mocking.

Kenobi did not so much as favour Skywalker with a look, and forged ahead of her companion, her penetrating gaze searching the vast expanse of the auditorium for any sign of their enemy.

"I meant that we are not alone," she asserted.

Skywalker sobered instantly as he flanked Kenobi's left side, his heavy, lumbering footsteps echoing throughout the auditorium as he closed the distance between them.

"You think that..." Skywalker began, placing a stalling mechanical hand on her forearm.

"...that we are being watched, yes," she finished.

"Droids?"

Kenobi rubbed her neck. "I don't know," she admitted.

As Obi-wan's gaze surveyed the vast chamber ahead, Skywalker's attention was held by his companion. The Force rippled with Skywalker's emotion's, so profound, and _obvious_ , it was a wonder that Kenobi, being the prudish, and proper Jedi that she was, didn't pull Skywalker up for it.

Anxiety. It punctuated her Force senses as clear as day. Skywalker was worried for Kenobi's well-being. Ventress almost laughed aloud. This was going to be all too easy. She couldn't wait to savour Skywalker's cries of despair, and feel his _glorious_ anguish once she severed Kenobi's head from her body.

Ventress moved stealthily through the darkness, her silhouette eclipsed by the shadows of the large columns. She trailed after them, completely silent, every step inaudible. Nothing more than a ghost in their midst.

The Dark side whispered seductive promises of her soon to be victory over these two Jedi buffoons. Ventress released her grip on the lightsabers attached to her belt, and straightened to her full height.

It was time to catch her prey. Ventress stepped out of the shadows, and ambled towards the two Jedi, her every movement nimble and precise.

Their heads snapped up at the sight of her hooded figure. Kenobi did not appear fazed, and merely brushed a stray hair from her eyes considering Ventress with mild interest. The Jedi Master's almost indifference rankled Ventress. A powerful assassin, and warrior such as herself deserved the utmost respect, and yet this fool, this _Kenobi_ , regarded her as nothing more than an irksome fly.

Ventress steeled herself and held onto her rage, seeking to refine it into a cold fury, the type of tightly controlled anger so effortlessly wielded by her Master. Kenobi's corpse would not be so smug.

The Sith adept lifted her hands, and deftly lowered her hood. Skywalker tensed and his eyes hardened into ice chips.

"Ventress," he said darkly.

Ignoring Skywalker's comment the Sith adept mindlessly shrugged off her cloak, and cast her gaze to Kenobi.

"I was beginning to think that my invitation went unnoticed," Ventress announced.

Kenobi dipped her in a mock salute. "We thank you for your hospitality".

Ventress pouted. "You didn't tell me that you were bringing friends along Kenobi. This was meant to be a girl's only party".

The Jedi Master did not rise to the bait. Skywalker however took an aggressive step forward, detracting his lightsaber from the utility belt at his waist.

"Well I've never liked being left out of the action," Skywalker interjected arrogantly.

"Anakin," Kenobi warned her companion, not looking once in his direction.

This camaraderie was all too entertaining, it was almost a shame that this 'party' would end with the headless cadavers of these two Jedi.

"How sweet of you Kenobi, to bring your pet along to witness your demise," Ventress drawled.

Skywalker bristled at her statement, and ignited his lightsaber. A familiar _snap-hiss_ resounded throughout the antechamber, the cerulean blade a humming glow as Skywalker held his blade at the ready. His body was brimming with an unseen nexus of energy, as if the boy's blood was boiling for a fight.

"The only demise will be yours Ventress. You and all Separatist scum, including that monster you call a Master" Skywalker swore vehemently.

With that promise of retribution, Skywalker leapt at Ventress and brought his blade down in a brutal over-handed strike. The Sith adept ignited her own twin lightsaber's and brought them up to parry the blow. Red sizzled on blue as their blades clashed, and Skywalker landed on his feet. Ventress smiled nastily, revealing pearly white teeth. As she stood at the top of the stairway, she maintained the high ground.

Another _snap-hiss_ reverberated in her ear drums as Kenobi's lightsaber blazed to life, but the Jedi Master predictably hung back and waited for an opening while Skywalker hacked at the Sith adept's elegant twin blades in an amateurish attempt to undermine her defences. His preferred style of lightsaber combat relied upon brute strength, and raw power. Most opponents would have been overwhelmed by the sheer kinetic force created by Skywalker's violent attacks, but unfortunately for the stupid young Jedi Ventress was not most opponents. She was Dooku's prodigious apprentice who had eliminated countless numbers of Skywalker's brethren. These Jedi were only two more numbers to add to her personal tally.

Ventress feinted to Skywalker's right, before sweeping her blades in an elegant but precise thrust, forcing Skywalker to break off his offensive, and raise his own lightsaber in defence of his torso. She used his distraction to deliver a Force-enhanced kick that sent Skywalker flying back down the stair case and his lightsaber scattering across the floor, lost somewhere in the shadows of the great pillared support beams. There was a loud thump as Skywalker's immense figure landed hard on the marble surface, a groan escaping his lips as his bones were no doubt rattled by the impact.

Ventress decided to be merciful on the boy, and grant the fool a quick death. Of course he didn't deserve such a mercy as all Jedi were entitled to a long, grizzly and agonising death, but she wanted to resolve this idiocy fast. It was Kenobi she intended to fight. Kenobi who would offer the greatest challenge. And Ventress thrived on challenges.

Drawing on the dark side, Ventress sprang into the air, both red blades lifted over her head, prepared to deliver Skywalker with a killing blow.

Only to have her plans thwarted by another blue blade as Kenobi joined the fray. The Jedi Master stood defensively in front of Skywalker's form, still lying prone on the unforgiving floor.

"Kenobi!" Ventress hissed.

"You did say that this was a girls only party," Kenobi reminded her pleasantly.

Ventress gritted her teeth, and pressed her advance, bringing the full vigour of her dual lightsabers and superior height to bear against Kenobi's blade. The slender woman reached into the Force to strengthen her own limbs so she was able meet the powerful attack. Despite her best efforts to counter, the Jedi was made to retreat back a step.

Ventress, not allowing Kenobi to regain her momentum, continued in her single-minded pursuit to outmanoeuvre the other woman, utilising precise jabs, and light-handed cuts in an attempt to unbalance the Jedi. To her frustration Kenobi kept her centre, and managed to parry every blow and counter-blow the Sith adept unleashed against her.

With an enraged cry, Ventress called upon the pulsing energy of the dark side, and released it against Kenobi. The assault did not have the intended effect however, and Ventress found her own movements halted by a tumult in the Force, as she struggled in Skywalker's overwhelming Force grip. The Jedi, recovered enough from the Sith apprentices attack, had gathered to his feet and clenched his mechanical fist in the Sith's direction. Unabated fury blazed in Skywalker's eyes, as his features contorted into an expression that wasn't quite human. A powerful surge in Force energy assailed Ventress's senses and she was lifted into the air only to be thrown away from Kenobi like a rag doll.

Ventress crashed headlong into a pillar, and crumpled to the floor. Pain jolted her ligaments and every muscle ached from her rough plummet. If she had not used the Force to cushion her collision with the pillar and the floor, her bones would be broken by now. Dazed, but not down for the count, Ventress wiped the blood from her mouth and glared hard at the two Jedi.

Kenobi blinked at sudden change of events, but did not make any move to attack. She was too brainwashed by Jedi dogma, believing it to be 'dishonourable' to fight an incapacitated enemy. In the eyes of the Sith adept, it wasn't honourable conduct, it was simply a weakness on the other woman's part.

Skywalker glowered at the collapsed form of Ventress, and summoned his lightsaber to his hand. The blade snapped to life, as he came to stand should-to-shoulder with Kenobi.

"Anakin!" Kenobi exclaimed, the relief on the woman's face palpable.

"Hope you don't mind if I crash this party," Skywalker remarked. Arrogant, insufferable Jedi fool! They were all fools, and would soon die like one if Ventress had anything to say about it.

"Honestly Anakin, how many times have I warned you about being so..." Kenobi began to lecture.

"About being so reckless I know," Skywalker finished, sounding bored.

"And yet you never seem to learn," Kenobi chided.

"I am a slow learner Master," Skywalker quipped.

"Yes I am well aware of that!" Kenobi shot back.

Ventress couldn't believe the audacity of these Jedi! They believed themselves to be so high and mighty that they weren't even paying her any attention. She should be enraged, but she was not. For Ventress had been enlightened by the opening of their fight.

Everyone had a weakness, and unfortunately for Skywalker and Kenobi they had revealed theirs.

 _Each other_.

She sensed it in their legitimate concern for one another, witnessed the fierce protectiveness with which they defended their companion, heard it in their relieved voices and their untimely banter.

Everyone had a weakness, and unfortunately for the two Jedi now Ventress knew exactly how to exploit theirs. Isolate one Jedi, end them, and the other grief-stricken Jedi would soon follow.

Bearing her thoughts of vengeance in mind, and ignoring the pain erupting throughout her body, Ventress drew herself to her feet and called her lightsabers to her using the Force. The _snap-hiss_ of her lightsabers had never sounded so sweet to her ears.

She charged.

This time both Jedi were there to meet her attacks, and they raised their lightsabers to guard their bodies, Kenobi with her signature two handed grip, and Skywalker once again angled for another over-handed chop.

As Ventress held off a swift blow from Kenobi, she was compelled to rapidly dodge a blurring cut instigated by Skywalker, lest she lose an arm. When she retreated, the Jedi pursued. Her plans to isolate one Jedi from the other festered as they continued to press her back with their well timed and co-ordinated offensive tactics.

It was as if the other could predict their companion's moves, and respond accordingly. While one parried, the other would strike. They rotated around each other's bodies as if it were second nature, and provided a solid defence for the flank of the other person.

And then it dawned on her. Ventress didn't have the high ground anymore. She was _losing_. The concept was blasphemous, but she could not deny the fact. She, the great assassin, who had annihilated countless Jedi Knights, and a Jedi Master on more than one occasion, often in greater numbers than this pair, was _losing_ to these Jedi fools.

Shell-shocked by having her own ideal of invincibility, and her assured victory shattered Ventress reached out to the Force for an answer. What she found was strange. She could still detect the disgustingly bright Force auras of Skywalker and Kenobi, but it seemed different somehow. Almost...magnified. As if their two presences were melded together into one powerful entity.

Now she understood how their attacks were so well co-ordinated with each other, how Kenobi could suddenly meet her greater strength toe-to-toe, and why Skywalker's strikes were suddenly so precise. The Jedi were drawing upon their shared Force bond, and communicating through the Force. Seeing through each other's eyes and siphoning power from their companion. She had never sensed a bond so potent and tangible in the Force.

A flicker of a premonition flashed through her mind, a warning from the Force. If she continued to fight, it would only result her death.

Knowing her defeat was imminent, and not one to ignore such a conspicuous omen, Ventress reached into the Force, and released a wave of energy in one last desperate move. Both Jedi were thrown back by her power. Skywalker's huge figure slammed against the floor as he landed none-too-gracefully on his back. He swore loudly, only to grunt as Kenobi's slender flying form crashed into Skywalker, depositing her directly on top of him. Their respective lightsabers went clamouring across the marble surface.

Ventress wasting no time, turned tail and fled down the nearest corridor. There would be other opportunities to kill them. Just wait until she caught them alone and unaided by their partner. The Jedi would stand no chance.

Her Master would be furious when he heard the news of her failure, but he would also be intrigued by how they utilised their Force bond to fight as a cohesive unit.

They were foolish Jedi, but together Kenobi, that infernal woman, and her lapdog Skywalker became _very dangerous_ Jedi.

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 **if there is a specific character whose perspective that you wish you see written, feel free to send me a prompt via PM. I may not always get around to it, but if the creative bug strikes than I will definitely give it a shot. I have others planned and in the works but won't upload them until they are fully completed.**


	4. Cody

**Disclaimer:** Star wars belongs to Disney and George Lucas. I make no profit from this.

 **A/N: An AU scenario set during the clone wars tv series episode "Landing at Point Rain", when the Republic attempted to destroy the droid factory on Geonosis.**

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In his mind's eye he had been here before. Blood, fire, sand and corpses. The aftermath of an ambush.

Geonosis did not take mercy on outlanders. His brothers sacrifice had proven that. It was only him and the General now. Not to mention the contingency of droids that was no doubtlessly bearing down upon their position at that very moment.

General Kenobi braced herself against the hull of the overturned gunship behind which they had taken shelter. It made for substandard protection, but it was better than the alternative of no cover at all.

The woman did not look good. Deep gashes and red blistering marred her pale skin. She had a bloodied cut on her scalp, and another lining her left eye brow. Her breathing came in ragged, and harsh gasps, and her eruption into coughing fits led him to suspect that the general had sustained a broken rib or two.

Cody hovered beside the general, nursing his own injuries. He ignored the pain, and the ringing in his ears. He'd endured far worse. A few grazes here and there, and off course some ugly bruising was guaranteed but all minor afflictions in comparison to the woman next to him. General Kenobi was in no fit state to be moved.

It was astonishing that the woman was still conscious after the trauma her body had been subjected to and she _still_ found the strength to issue orders. Not for the first time, Cody thought how difficult Jedi were to kill.

"Cody," she spoke, her voice strained and hoarse. "You must warn General Skywalker, and General Mundi before they're caught in the trap like we were. Tell them to find another rendezvous point".

She coughed loudly and Cody hesitated.

"Sir?"

The woman angled her head, and levelled him with a stern look. "That's an order Commander," she snapped.

At the woman's insistence, Cody sprung to his feet and saluted. He was a soldier first and foremost, and she was his superior. Protocol dictated that orders must be obeyed. Plus he had learnt from personal experience how strong-minded the Jedi Master could be.

"Yes sir! Right away sir!" he replied.

With an awe-inspiring resolve, General Kenobi pushed herself upright, a soft groan escaping her lips with the effort. Keeping a hand against the gunships interior for balance, she unhooked her lightsaber from her utility belt. How the woman was even fully standing was beyond him. It must be a Jedi thing, this type of stamina and resilience certainly wasn't human.

The clamour of metal, and heavy footfalls could be heard from the outside of the gunship, and it only meant one thing. _Clankers_. Closing in. Fast. Far too many for the Jedi to fight alone in her condition.

"Go now! I will cover you!" General Kenobi urged.

"Sir I must..." he began to protest but was cut off by the woman.

"Go!"

Needing no further encouragement, Cody inclined his head to the General, spun on his heel and retreated through a cleft in the gunships metal bulk.

He didn't pause to glance over his shoulder at the gunship. Cody trusted that the general knew what she was doing.

The Geonosian midday sun was there to greet him, the light rays blinding, even through the visor of his helmet and he instinctively raised a hand to ward his face. Scorched metal of now obsolete clankers and the corpses his fallen brothers were laid bare across the shifting sands. Sweat trickled down his back as the searing heat of the sun beating down on him pierced his thick armour.

Blaster fire sounded in the distance behind him, and reverberated off the cliff formations, followed by the unmistakable thrum of a lightsaber. As he scurried across the canyon's arid plain like a womprat, he couldn't help but think the worst. General Kenobi might not be alive by the time reinforcements arrived. Bearing the thought in mind, Cody tightened his hold on his blaster and sped up his pace.

After ten minutes of tearing through the ravine, Cody finally reached the buffer zone. In the distance he spotted Republic tanks, and the white armour of his brothers in arms, glinting in the sun. At the head of the group was a dark figure, wielding a blue lightsaber, it's blade a distinctive beacon, even in broad daylight.

 _General Skywalker_.

Pushing through the aching in his limbs and the fire in his lungs, he hastened across plain. If General Skywalker's platoon crossed the buffer zone, they would meet the same fate of the brothers for whom there had been no time to mourn.

Cody refused to let his brothers sacrifices be in vain.

At the sight of the commander sprinting towards them, General Skywalker held up an authoritative hand and signalled for the platoon to cease their progress.

"Halt!" he shouted.

A tumult of metal, machinery and armour thundered across the ravine, as the platoon's advance grounded to a halt upon the general's order.

"Trooper identify yourself!" General Skywalker bellowed.

Cody skidded to an abrupt stand still, the dirt crunching beneath his feet.

The commander saluted, and drew himself upright. "CC-2224 reporting in! Sir!"

"Cody!" the general exclaimed in recognition. He deactivated his lightsaber and the blue blade retracted with a familiar _snap-hiss_.

General Skywalker, detaching himself from the platoon's assembly, sprinted towards the trooper, closing the distance between them in record time. Those unnatural Jedi reflexes of his were no less disconcerting than General Kenobi's. He stopped short, no more than ten feet away from Cody's position.

"Where is Obi-wan?" he demanded.

"She's been engaged by the enemy sir," he told the general.

General Skywalker's entire body stiffened. "With her squad?" he demanded.

Sorrow welled in Cody's being at the reminder of loss of his brothers, and he roughly shoved it aside. Duty first, sentimental matters later. There were still General Kenobi's orders to be carried out.

"By herself sir," he replied grimly.

Instant alarm crossed the Jedi's features. "And you left her to fend off the enemy alone?" he asked, furious.

Cody tensed, wary of the General's sudden display of temper. "I was following the general's orders Sir," he said.

General Skywalker's frown deepened. "What?" he grated out.

"It was an ambush sir! Our squad got wiped out by a whole battalion of droids. General Kenobi and I were the only survivors. She dispatched me to warn you, while she held off the enemy," Cody explained.

General Skywalker clenched one unoccupied fist, while the other tightened around the hilt of his weapon.

"Rex!" he called.

The captain appeared from the formation of troopers, his blue coated helmet and dual hold out blasters singling him out amongst his identical brothers in arms. He hurried across the landscape towards their position.

Once he had reached them, he saluted and stood to attention.

"General Skywalker Sir?"

"Rex I want you to lead the men around the gorge, find another rendezvous point. Cody and I will go on ahead and help Obi-wan," General Skywalker commanded.

"Yes Sir!" Rex inclined his head in acknowledgement, and turned back to the platoon to relay the general's orders. General Skywalker did not so much as glance in the direction of the platoon to see if his orders were being followed.

The Jedi fixed his intense blue eyes on Cody. "You will lead me to Obi-wan's position," he told the soldier.

"Right away sir!"

* * *

They moved across the ravine at a mind-boggling speed. Less than halfway past the buffer zone, General Skywalker had over-taken Cody, and led the pair in their objective to aid General Kenobi, kicking up a trail of dust in his wake as he raced through the canyon.

Cody was battle-seasoned and genetically engineered to have greater resilience and stamina than the average human. His physical conditioning was top notch, but he had difficulty matching the pace General Skywalker set. The man ran as if he had a gundark on his heels.

His calf muscles protested against the exertion, but he pushed on, following the Jedi as they honed in on General Kenobi's position.

When they reached the site of the crash landing, Skywalker drew to a halt and motioned for the trooper to follow suit.

The overturned gunship was now little more than a charred, smoking rubble of alloy. Remnants of defunct droids littered the crash site, reduced to useless parts of scrap metal.

As the pair carefully approached the gunship Cody soberly identified the prone and lifeless bodies of his brothers. At least their suffering had not been prolonged, and they had died honourably in their line of duty. All for the sake of the security of the Republic and its citizens. Despite his battle-hardened resolve, the trooper could not abide the bitter taste the mantra left in his mouth. It didn't change the fact that he had still lost brothers today, and would continue to do so until this war was over, and every traitorous Separatist routed.

Cody was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of a person's harsh coughing. General Skywalker's head shot up so fast, the trooper believed he heard an audible kink in his neck.

Looking ahead, Cody spied General Kenobi and was barely able to recognise the woman he knew to be his commanding officer. She looked far more worse for wear than he had ever seen her.

General Kenobi's slight figure laid prostate over the hot ground, surrounded by dissembled piles of former droid ligaments.

"Obi-wan!" General Skywalker cried as he rushed over to the woman. Cody caught up to them a moment later, watching as General Skywalker knelt beside her, worry plastered over his expression.

Cody stood over the two Jedi, blaster at the ready, prepared to open fire on any enemy should the clankers decide to show their metal hides.

Close up Cody was able to view how badly injured General Kenobi was. Her beige tunic was blackened at the hems, and savage tears despoiled the garment, leaving the skin of her back and legs exposed to the elements. The tarnished skin left bare by her ruined clothing was a bloody mess of scrapes, and piercing cuts. One foot was missing a boot, in its place was a deep gash, the pale skin of her feet blaringly red.

General Skywalker gently rolled the woman onto her side.

"Obi-wan," he breathed.

The general grasped one of the woman's hands and squeezed. Her own fingers clutched his weakly, smearing dirt against his skin. Cody couldn't see the woman's front from this angle, but could have sworn he heard a muffled groan, and the faint reply of " _Anakin_ ".

"It will be alright Master. You'll be alright. We'll get you some help. Everything will be alright. You'll see," General Skywalker promised.

General Skywalker's mechanical hand clenched, as he leant down, and brought his head closer to General Kenobi's. From where Cody was standing it looked as if General Skywalker were brushing his forehead against the woman's.

"Stay with me Obi-wan," the Jedi implored her.

The fingers clutching General Skywalker's hand loosened, and he snapped his head up. Unprepared for the general's rapid movement, Cody shifted on his feet, and tightened his grip on his blaster. Unanticipated and sharp gestures from a Jedi usually indicated forthcoming trouble. Jedi seemed to possess an uncanny knack for knowing when there was danger lurking nearby.

Sure enough he heard a clangour rang across the ravine. Moments later, multiple super-battle droids emerged from around the corner of the gorge, their thunderous footsteps echoing off the cliff formations while they marched in synchronisation. Sunlight reflected off their weathered silver alloy casing, as they trained their in-built blasters on the trio.

Cody instinctively secured his fingers on the trigger of his blaster, poised to unleash laser fire against the oncoming clankers.

General Skywalker rose to his feet, but did not reach for his weapon. In a gesture that was perplexing to Cody, the Jedi held out his arms in the direction of the droids, and clenched both his fists. The droids were lifted into the air, and were accompanied by an ear-shattering _screech_ as their metal frames collapsed inwards upon themselves, as if being crushed by an unseen force. Suddenly the droids exploded into a clutter of scrap metal and sparks, depositing them all over the crash site.

Lowering his blaster, Cody stared at the littered mess of discarded droid parts in disbelief, taken back at the _ease_ with which the Jedi had dispatched their adversary.

With the droids disposed of, General Skywalker bent down and gently lifted General Kenobi into his arms. Pivoting on his feet, he turned to face the trooper. General Kenobi's head lolled to the side and he adjusted his hold on the woman so that her head rested just below his shoulder.

The Jedi did not look at the trooper, preoccupied by the unconscious woman in his arms. He briefly touched his forehead to hers, and closed his eyes.

Seconds later he pulled his head away from General Kenobi's and settled a fierce blue gaze on Cody.

"Let's go, and keep an eye out for the droids!" General Skywalker ordered.

"Yes sir!" Cody replied.

With the woman secure in his arms, General Skywalker led their retreat across the ravine, and back toward the buffer zone. As they sprinted across the expanse of the landscape, on guard for any signs of enemy activity, Cody found himself wondering if this was how all Jedi treated their injured comrade-in-arms, or if it was exclusive to the pair ahead of him.

General Skywalker seemed almost too worked up by his fellow Jedi's injuries. He had abandoned his entire platoon, to personally go after General Kenobi, instead of assigning a squad to recover the woman. It was as if he had willingly allowed his emotions to rule his better judgement. A complete breach of protocol if he ever saw it.

But he would never say such. After all who was he to judge? He was a soldier, and it was his duty to carry out orders without qualm or question.

It was not the trooper's place to question a Jedi.

* * *

 **Thank you to anyone who has read, favourited, followed and reviewed my fics. I say it everytime, and will keep saying it because its true. You guys are all wonderful! so thanks again!**


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